Not applicable.
The present invention relates generally to agricultural equipment and more specifically to a coulter overload protection apparatus for use with a planter assembly.
An exemplary agricultural planter assembly may includes support wheels centrally mounted to a long (e.g., 40 feet) implement bar with a tongue member extending centrally from the support wheels to a hitch on a tractor or some other type of prime mover and a plurality (e.g., sixteen) of separate coulter/fertilizer units and corresponding row units. Hereinafter, unless indicated otherwise and in the interest of simplifying this explanation, an exemplary planter assembly including a forty foot long implement bar and sixteen row units and corresponding coulter/fertilizer units will be assumed.
Each coulter/fertilizer unit is typically mounted to a front end of a corresponding row unit and includes a coulter or cutting knife member that cuts a fertilizer trench in soil there below and a fertilizer dispensing tube that delivers fertilizer into the fertilizer trench. The row units are mounted to the implement bar in an equispaced configuration. An exemplary row unit includes a seed bin, a dispenser and some type of soil agitator (e.g., a coulter or knife assembly). During operation, the agitators are forced into the ground and form seed trenches.
Each bin is mounted above a corresponding dispenser and feeds seed to the dispensers via gravity. The dispensers open behind corresponding agitators and drop seed into the seed trenches. The coulter/fertilizer units and corresponding row units are typically offset somewhat (e.g.,. 2 inches) so that the seed and fertilizer trenches are separated so that the fertilizer does not xe2x80x9cburnxe2x80x9d the seed as well known in the art. Once the seed sprouts, new plant roots make there way into the fertilizer trenches and growth is enhanced.
Typically the implement bar is moveable between an upright position where the ground engaging components of the row units and coulter/fertilizer units are raised above the ground for transport and a ground engaging position where the units can be activated to trench and fertilize and seed, respectively. Here the motive force for moving the implement bar between the upright and ground engaging positions may be either hydraulic or mechanical.
While a long implement bar and corresponding large number of row units and coulter/fertilizer units is advantageous during a planting operation (e.g., more row units translate into less time to perform a planting operation), long implement bars are difficult to accommodate during machine transport between fields, about a farmers property and during storage. To accommodate optimal transport and operating planter configurations, the industry has developed several different folding or pivoting implement bar configurations. One such pivoting configuration (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe pivoting assemblyxe2x80x9d) is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/062,612 which is entitled xe2x80x9cPlanter Hitch Apparatusxe2x80x9d was filed on Jan. 31, 2002 and which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference. The pivoting assembly includes an implement bar and other components mounted to a mainframe assembly.
Hereinafter, unless indicated otherwise, when the implement bar is referenced, it will be assumed that the reference includes the implement bar and all other attached assembly components including the row units, the coulter/fertilizer units, etc. and when the implement bar weight is referenced it will be assumed that the implement bar weight reference corresponds to the combined weight of the implement bar and all attached components. In addition, unless indicated otherwise, when the mainframe is referenced, it will be assumed that the reference includes the mainframe and all other attached assembly components including the implement bar, the row units, the coulter/fertilizer units, etc. and when the mainframe weight is referenced it will be assumed that the mainframe weight reference corresponds to the combined weight of the mainframe and all attached components.
The pivoting assembly includes a carrier assembly having a carrier frame and a platform. The platform is mounted to a top surface of the carrier frame and the carrier frame has a width that should be relatively stable during operation and yet is limited to a dimension suitable for transport purposes. For instance, the width dimension may be 10 to 12 feet for a planter assembly including a 40 foot implement bar. Support wheels are mounted to the underside of the carrier frame along a single axis and proximate a rear edge of the carrier platform with at least one wheel proximate each end of the carrier frame width dimension so that the wheels provide stable support for the carrier frame and carrier platform there above. The mainframe is pivotally mounted to a rear side corner of a carrier platform so that the mainframe and implement bar attached thereto can be positioned perpendicular to the transport direction during operation and parallel to the transport direction during transport.
A roller or wheel assembly is spaced apart from the pivot and mounted to the underside of the mainframe to ease the conversion process between the transport and operating positions and to provide support to the mainframe and attached implement bar.
In addition, to support the implement bar when in the operating position, lateral support wheels are mounted to the distal ends of the implement bar that can be extended to engage the ground there below or can be retracted during conversion between the implement bar positions and during transport.
Whenever a wheel supported planter assembly is going to be attached to a tractor hitch for transport and operation, ideally the planter assembly is configured such that the implement assembly load is relatively balanced across the support wheels but has some positive hitching weight so that the assembly remains stable during transport. Here, as the phrase implies, positive hitch weight is caused by configuration weight disposed between the support wheels and a tractor hitch which tends to bear down on the hitch. Where positive hitch weight is to great some tractors may have difficulty moving a hitched planter assembly. Similarly, as the phrase implies, negative hitch weight is caused by configuration weight disposed on a side of the support wheels opposite the hitch and tends to tip the assembly tongue upward away from the hitch.
In the case of the pivoting assembly described above, it has been determined that, to best balance the implement assembly load across the support wheels in both the transport and operating positions, the implement bar and row units should be mounted such that, when the implement bar is in the operating and upright position (i.e., extends perpendicular to the transport direction with the row units in the upright position), the bar (and attached row units) is generally behind the support wheels. With the row units and bar mounted in this manner, when the implement bar is upright and in the operating position, the weight of the implement bar and the hitch and carrier platform together provide a stabilizing positive weight that is somewhat balanced in front of and behind the support wheels, the possibility of negative weight is minimal, the implement bar weight is essentially balanced on either lateral side of the wheels and is supported generally evenly across the pivot point and the roller assembly. In addition, when the implement bar is in the transport position (and hence is necessarily upright), the weight of the implement bar and attached components is greater in front than it is behind the support wheel axis, the overall positive weight is stable and yet not to great, the implement bar is positioned above the carrier platform and the implement bar weight is essentially evenly laterally distributed above the platform.
Unfortunately, when the implement bar and row units are optimally juxtaposed behind the support wheels, the wheels make it impossible to attach coulter/fertilizer units to the front ends of some of the row units. For instance, assume that a planter assembly includes 16 separate row units with six central units directly behind the platform and support wheels and five lateral units to either side of the six central units. In this case, while coulter/fertilizer units can be attached to the front ends of the ten lateral units (i.e., five lateral units on either side of the central units), the wheels are in the space required to attach the coulter/fertilizer units to the six central row units.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a planter assembly that includes a separate coulter/fertilizer unit positioned in front of each row unit where the assembly is pivotal to facilitate conversion between operating and transport positions.
It has been recognized that a coulter/fertilizer assembly can be attached to the underside of the carrier frame in front of the support wheels where the assembly includes a separate coulter/fertilizer unit for and aligned with each of the central row units. To this end, the coulter/fertilizer assembly in at least one embodiment includes a coulter bar mounted to the underside of the carrier frame that extends along the width of the carrier frame in front of the support wheels. A separate coulter/fertilizer units is mounted to the coulter bar in front of each of the central row units with the same fertilizer-seeding offset described above. Additional coulter/fertilizer units are mounted to the front ends of the lateral row units on either side of the central units. The coulter/fertilizer units mounted to the coulter bar will be referred to hereinafter as central coulter units and the coulter/fertilizer units mounted to the front ends of the lateral row units will be referred to hereinafter as lateral coulter/fertilizer units
Typically, like the implement bar, the coulter bar will be constructed such that it can be moved between a ground engaging position wherein the coulter/fertilizer units facilitate fertilization and an upright position wherein the coulter/fertilizer units are stored above ground for transport. While the coulter/fertilizer assembly may be constructed such that the coulter bar is manually moveable between the upright and ground engaging positions, in some embodiments the coulter bar may be pivotally mounted to the carrier frame and linked to a hydraulic cylinder. In some embodiments, when the cylinder is extended the coulter bar is moved to the upright position and when the cylinder is retracted the coulter bar is driven toward the ground engaging position.
One problem with coulter/fertilizer units is that the coulters can become damaged if too much force is applied thereto. For instance, if a coulter contacts a rock while being pulled through a field, the slicing edge of the coulter may be damaged or, in some cases, even destroyed.
In the case of the lateral coulter/fertilizer Units (i.e., in the present example, to the five row units on either side of the central row units and proximate the ends of the implement bar), the implement bar has been known to flex somewhat such that, when a coulter contacts a large rock or the like, the implement bar absorbs some of the impacting force and the coulter is forced over the rock thereby minimizing coulter damage.
Unfortunately, because the coulter bar is relatively short, the coulter bar does not appreciably flex and therefore cannot absorb much force that is applied to the central coulter unit coulters. Thus, the central coulter unit coulters that are linked to the relatively inflexible coulter bar are far more susceptible to damage than the coulters linked to the flexible implement bar.
To protect the central coulter units, at least one embodiment of the invention includes an overload protection mechanism that, when the force on the central coulter units exceeds a preset threshold force, reduces the force on the central coulter units by allowing the coulter bar to pivot toward the upright or transport position. Here, the threshold force level is selected to be less than the a force level that will likely cause coulter damage.
Consistent with the above discussion, one embodiment of the invention includes an apparatus for use with a planter assembly constructed to move in a transport direction where the planter assembly includes support wheels mounted to the underside of a carrier frame, the apparatus comprising a bar pivotally mounted to the underside of the carrier frame for pivotal movement between a transport position and a functional position, a hydraulic cylinder linked between the bar and the carrier frame for driving the bar between the transport and functional positions, the carrier frame, cylinder and bar forming a linkage path where each of the cylinder, bar and carrier frame is a linkage component and an overload locking member linked between first and second linkage components to maintain the spatial relationship there between and such that a draft force applied to the bar in a direction opposite the transport direction causes a secondary force on the locking member, wherein, the locking member fails when the secondary force exceeds a threshold force.
In some embodiments the locking member includes a locking pin. In some embodiments the cylinder has a length dimension, the apparatus further including at least a first plate mounted to the first linkage component and forming an aperture for receiving the pin and maintaining the locking pin essentially perpendicular to the secondary force.
In some embodiments the linkage path further includes an arm member having an arm length dimension and forming a bearing surface where the first end is pivotally mounted to the first plate via a first pivot pin and the second end is pivotally mounted to the second linkage component via a second pivot pin and, wherein, the bearing surface contacts and applies the secondary force to the locking pin. Here, the cylinder may be characterized by a cylinder length and, when the bearing surface contacts the locking pin, the arm length may be substantially perpendicular to the cylinder length.
The arm member in some embodiments forms a locking pin aperture for receiving the locking pin, the locking pin aperture forming the bearing surface. Still further, in some embodiments the locking pin aperture is formed between the first and second pivot pins. Here, the apparatus may further include a second plate forming an aperture and mounted to the first linkage component such that the first and second plate apertures are axially aligned, the first and second plates forming a space there between for receiving the arm member, the first end of the arm member may be pivotally mounted between the first and second plates, the locking aperture may align with the first and second plate apertures and the locking pin may be receivable within the first and second plate apertures as well as within the locking aperture.
In some embodiments the first linkage component is the bar and the second linkage component is the cylinder the cylinder may include a base end and a rod end and the rod end may be linked to the arm member. The first linkage component may include a first limiting surface and the arm member may include a second limiting surface so that when the limiting surfaces contact, the first and second plate apertures are aligned with the locking aperture.
The apparatus may further include at least one ground engaging unit mounted to the bar such that, when the bar is in the functional position, the units are in a lower ground engaging position and when the bar is in the transport position, the units are in an upright ground clearance position. Here the bar may be a coulter bar and the ground engaging units may be coulter/fertilizer units.
In some embodiments the bar is mounted to the carrier frame on a side of the support wheels facing the transport direction.
In some embodiments the cylinder is a first cylinder and the planter assembly further includes an implement bar pivotally mounted to the carrier frame and a second hydraulic cylinder linked between the carrier frame and the implement bar for driving the implement bar between a transport position and a functional position and, wherein, the second cylinder is plumbed in parallel with the first cylinder.
The invention also includes an apparatus for use with a planter assembly constructed to move in a transport direction where the planter assembly includes support wheels mounted to the underside of a carrier frame, the apparatus comprising a bar pivotally mounted to the underside of the carrier frame for pivotal movement between a transport position and a functional position, an arm member having an arm length dimension and forming a bearing surface, the arm member pivotally linked to the bar at the first end via a first pivot pin, a hydraulic cylinder pivotally linked at a first end via a second pivot pin to the second end of the arm member, the second end of the cylinder pivotally linked to the carrier frame, the cylinder for driving the bar between the transport and functional positions and an overload locking member securable to the bar such that the bearing surface bears there against placing a secondary force thereon when a draft force is applied to the bar wherein, the locking member fails when the secondary force exceeds a threshold force.
In some embodiments the cylinder has a cylinder length, the apparatus further including first and second plates mounted to the bar, forming an axially aligned aperture pair and a space there between for receiving the arm member, the locking pin receivable through the aperture pair and, wherein, with the bearing surface bearing against the locking pin, the arm member length is substantially perpendicular to the cylinder length. In some embodiments the arm member forms a locking pin aperture for receiving the locking pin, the locking pin aperture forming the bearing surface. Still more specifically, in some embodiments the first linkage component includes a first limiting surface and the arm member includes a second limiting surface and wherein, when the limiting surfaces contact, the first and second plate apertures are aligned with the locking aperture.